Barn cleaner chain



P 1958 w. E. JOHNSON 2,853,887

BARN CLEANER CHAIN Filed Sept. 8, 1955 INVENTOR WERNER E.JOHNSON I siz/lggfW gh ATTORNEYS United States Patent BARN CLEANER CHAIN Werner E. Johnson, Lena, Wis.

Application September 8, 1955, Serial No. 533,052

1 Claim. (Cl. 74-250) This invention appertains to chains and more particularly to conveyor chains of the type used in barn cleaners and driven from a sprocket wheel.

It has been proposed to form the links of the chain in such a manner that a link can be removed and replaced when worn or broken without dismantling the entire conveyor and in such chains, the danger of the links being accidentally disconnected is always present.

One of the primary objects of my invention is the provision of a chain link which can be easily and quickly connected with or disconnected from a like link, with means whereby when the links are connected accidental disconnection thereof is precluded irrespective of the position of the links relative to one another and whether or not the chain is loose or taut.

Another salient object of my invention is the provision of a chain link having a hook for receiving the body portion of an adjacent link and having a seat formed in the entrance throat thereof for detachably receiving a wedge pin, whereby when said pin is driven in place in the seat accidental movement of a link out of the throat is eliminated.

A further important object of my invention is to provide a chain link of the above character which will be durable and efficient in use, one that will be simple and easy to manufacture and one which can be placed upon the market at a reasonable cost.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and formation of parts, as will be hereinafter more specifically described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which drawing,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a chain showing the use of my novel links, parts of the chain being shown in longitudinal section, with the section taken on the line 11 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of a chain constructed in accordance with my invention, and

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary detail transverse sectional view, taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter C generally indicates a chain including a plurality of like links 5 constnlcted in accordance with the invention. Each link includes a substantially flat main body portion 6 having a longitudinally extending opening 7 therein for receiving the teeth of a sprocket wheel (not shown). Formed on one end of the body portion 6 is a book 8, which is adapted to be inserted through the opening 7 of an adjacent link for operatively connecting the links together to form a chain. The book 8 includes a rearwardly curved hill 9 terminating in spaced relation to the body portion 6 to define an entrance throat 10 for the body portion of an adjacent link. In accordance with my invention, the free end of the hill 9 is curved, as at 11, on an arc of a circle and the body portion 6 of the link adjacent to the bill 9 is provided with a like curved surface 12. The

curved surfaces 11 and 12 of the bill of the hook and the body portion of the link define a seat, for a removable hardened lock pin 13, and the portions 11 and 12 are tapered toward their opposite ends. The pin 13 is adapted to be forcibly driven into the seat defined by the curved surfaces 11 and 12 to close the throat and thus prevent the accidental displacement of connected links. Each pin is in the nature of a wedge and can be tapered from one end to its opposite end so that as a pin is driven into its seat, the same will be effectively wedged in place. However, as shown in the drawings, I prefer to form the pins with oppositely tapered ends and hence each pin is tapered from a central line 14 toward its opposite ends, as at 15. Obviously, a pin can be driven into its seat from either side of the chain and driven out of its seat from either side of the chain. During the driving of a pin into and out of place, the hill 9 of the hook will be sprung slightly back.

From the foregoing description, it can be seen that I have provided an exceptionally simple form of chain link in which the entrance throat for an adjacent link is positively closed so as to prevent the accidental displacement of connected links.

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or the scope of this invention, but what i claim as new is:

A power driven conveyor chain compn'sing a plurality of connected like links, each of said links including a body portion having a longitudinally extending opening and a hook on one end of the body portion for receiving the body portion of an adjacent link, said book including a curved bill extending back toward the body portion and terminating in spaced relation to said body portion defining an entrance throat into said hook, adjacent facing surfaces of said bill and body portion being provided with curved seats formed on the same are of a circle and having the same axis, and a wedge pin extending transversely of the body driven into said throat into frictional engagement with the seats for closing said throat, said pin being tapered toward its opposite ends, whereby the same can be driven into the throat from either side thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 258,863 McKernan May 30, 1882 1,522,285 Chism Ian. 6, 1925 1,901,345 Carlson Mar. 14, 1933 2,317,769 Holmes Apr. 27, 1943 2,712,760 Patz et al. July 12, 1955 

